Editing Ancient Roman architecture (section)

=== Monoliths ===
{{further|List of ancient Greek and Roman monoliths}}
[[File:RomaColonnaTraianaCima.jpg|thumb|upright|The capital of [[Trajan's Column]], Rome]]

In architecture, a [[Monolithic architecture|monolith]] is a structure which has been excavated as a unit from a surrounding matrix or outcropping of rock.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.art-and-archaeology.com/india/glossary1.html#monolith |title=Glossary and Index of (mostly) Asian Art |author=Michael D. Gunther |website=Old Stones: The Monuments of Art History |access-date=24 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070405055253/http://www.art-and-archaeology.com/india/glossary1.html |archive-date=5 April 2007}}{{self-published source|date=September 2014}}</ref> Monoliths are found in all types of Roman buildings. They were either: quarried without being moved; or quarried and moved; or quarried, moved and lifted clear off the ground into their position (e.g., [[architrave]]s); or quarried, moved and erected in an upright position (e.g., [[column]]s).

Transporting was done by land or water (or a combination of both), in the later case often by special-built ships such as [[obelisk carrier]]s.{{sfn|Wirsching|2000}} For lifting operations, [[Crane (machine)#History|ancient cranes]] were employed since c. 515 BC,{{sfn|Coulton|1974|pp=7, 16}} such as in the [[Trajan's Column#Construction|construction of Trajan's Column]].{{sfn|Lancaster|1999|pp=419–439}}